McLean County Times

The Illinois State track and field team concluded its first outdoor season weekend with notable performances at two events. The Redbird athletes participated in the Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, hosted by Texas State University, and the Redbird Challenge held in Normal, Illinois.

Junior Jake Welch achieved a significant milestone by entering the program's top-10 list for the men's 400m with a time of 47.10, placing him ninth all-time. At the same event, Senior Corrina Courser secured fifth place in the women's 100m hurdles with a mark of 13.81, with Senior Macee Rivers finishing 12th at 14.10.

In Normal, the Redbird Challenge saw several victories for the home team. Senior Caleb Lerus won the men's 100m dash, clocking at 10.70, and his sister, Freshman Layla Lerus, finished fifth among the women with 12.27. Senior Kevyere Mack took the men's 110m hurdles title with 14.73. In the women's 100m hurdles, Sophomore Ava Lawless and Senior Gracie Jessup placed third and fifth, respectively.

Sophomore Jonathan Tegel claimed the men's 200m dash victory with a personal best of 49.57. Freshman Reece Curtis was third at 50.05. The women's 200m saw Junior Nnenna Okpara achieve a runner-up finish with 24.83. Freshman Julian Baker won the men's 1500m in 3:56.21, followed by Sophomore Kane Shields, who was runner-up, and Sophomore Blake Oleson, who took fourth.

Sophomore Grace Erb finished second in the women's 1500m at 4:35.31, with Sophomore Colleen Zeibert and Freshman Astrid Van Breedam also placing in the top eight. Freshman Josh Weeks marked his debut with a win in the men's 5000m at 15:41.01.

In the men's 800m, Sophomore Owen O'Shea delivered a personal best for second place at 1:55.81, while Sophomore Trixie Johnson placed ninth for the women. Sophomore Garrett Taylor excelled in field events, winning the men's discus with a personal best of 55.21m, and finishing second in the shot put. Freshman Brianna Brodie led in the women's discus. Junior Rob Pulliam clinched the men's high jump, and Freshman Sydney Skarich won the women's javelin throw.

Senior Atleigh Hamilton secured the women's long jump title with a mark of 5.57m. Senior Windsor Roberts was victorious in the women's pole vault, and in the men's equivalent, Junior Charles Cruse finished third. Freshman Laney Nelson marked a sixth-place finish in the women's triple jump.

To wrap up the Redbird Challenge, the men's 4x400m relay team, consisting of Watson, Tegel, Mack, and Curtis, won their event with a time of 3:24.17. On the women's side, the team of Brown, Lerus, Geyer, and Johnson placed third.